Latest news with #ABBA
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The ultimate karaoke songs, according to science - so, is YOUR favourite on the list?
When it comes to karaoke, picking the right song can either make or break your night. Now, an expert has revealed the scientifically-backed singalong tunes to guarantee a good evening. Oxford University mathematician Dr Tom Crawford has devised a formula that combines the number of verses, repetition of chorus, beats per minute (BPM) and the year the song was released. The equation generates a score out of 100 and, from this, Dr Crawford has come up with the top 10 mood-boosting classics of all time. So, whether you're a Mariah-in-the-making or simply can't hold a tune, these will help you find joy, he says. 'There's some serious maths behind a karaoke belter,' he explained. Coming in first place is Bon Jovi's 'Livin' On a Prayer', which generated a score of 91. Released in 1986, it is mathematically proven to increase dopamine levels, Dr Crawford said. Close behind are Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', which scored 90, and 'Don't Look Back in Anger' by Oasis, which reached an impressive 89. In joint fourth place is 'Queen of country pop' Shania Twain with her iconic 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' and - pivoting to a completely different category - '500 Miles' by Scottish rock duo The Proclaimers. Both of these tracks scored 88, according to the formula. ABBA comes in sixth place with their song 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!', which scored 85, while the 2004 hit 'Unwritten' by Natasha Beddingfield came in joint seventh with a score of 84. Adele, known for her power ballads, also placed seventh with her melancholy 'Someone Like You' alongside the catchy pop single 'Wannabe' by the Spice Girls. Finally Mario's signature song 'Let Me Love You' - which was released in 2004 - took tenth spot with 83 points. Dr Crawford's method is based on data collected from 2,000 karaoke lovers across the UK. 'People love a fast-paced song with an average 126 BPM and three repeated chorus' for every two verses, just like most pop songs - hence why common favourites are scoring highly in the research,' he said. 'With ABBA dominating the 70's, through to Adele in the 2010's, the average release year of a karaoke classic is 1995. The top 10 karaoke songs, according to science Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi (91) I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston (90) Don't Look Back in Anger - Oasis (89) Man! I Feel Like a Woman - Shania Twain (88) 500 Miles - The Proclaimers (88) Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - ABBA (85) Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield (84) Someone Like You - Adele (84) Wannabe - Spice Girls (84) Let Me Love You - Mario (83) Scores in brackets are out of 100 'This captures the boyband craze, as well as Brit pop with Oasis, and girl power like the Spice Girls, showing there's some serious maths behind a karaoke belter!' The research, carried out on behalf of Three UK and Samaritans, also found that nine out of 10 people say singing gives them an 'emotional uplift' while 70 per cent said it was cathartic. While a third of people surveyed said pop music was their favourite karaoke genre, a fifth said they prefer rock songs to let rip. The majority of participants revealed they have a 'go-to' karaoke tune with ABBA, Adele and Taylor Swift being the most popular artists to turn to. The top 10 endorphin-boosting belters will be available for music fans to sing their hearts out to in new 'Kathartic Karaoke' booths, launching at festivals this summer. The booth will launch this week at Latitude Festival in Suffolk, before being moved to The Mound at Edinburgh Fringe. Sonya Trivedy, Executive Director of External Engagement at Samaritans, said: 'Music has a unique power to have a positive impact on our mental health. 'Singing, in particular, can help people process emotions, ease stress and boost mood.' The news comes shortly after a study into the origins of blushing, which required teenagers to sing karaoke and then watch the videos back. As part of research, carried out by researchers from the University of Amsterdam, 40 16-20-year-olds first took part in a karaoke session. Participants sang four songs: 'Hello' by Adele, 'Let it go' from Frozen, 'All I want for Christmas is you' by Mariah Carey and 'All the things she said' by tATu. These songs were chosen because several music experts judged these songs to be very difficult to sing – ensuring that participants would be embarrassed watching themselves singing them. As they were shown the videos of themselves and others singing their cheek temperature – an indicator of blushing – and brain activity were measured. The results revealed that blushing was stronger when participants watched themselves sing. Listening to melancholy music can improve a person's emotional well-being in times of loneliness and distress. Sad songs, in particular, can stir up a mixture of complex and 'partially positive' emotions, including nostalgia, peacefulness, tenderness, transcendence and wonder. Upbeat music that you're not consciously aware that you're listening to typically have no affect on how you feel. But actively seeking out happiness through music can sometimes improve your health and relationship satisfaction.
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
WATCH: Dancing Queens Show off Their Dance Moves
Weekend breakfast turned into a viral moment as Somizi Mhlongo and Real Housewives of Johannesburg star Christall Kay danced up a storm live on air. The duo brought serious star power, Amapiano energy, and choreographed flair to the 'Sounds Good' show. Consequently, fans can't stop talking about it. Christall posted, ' You know I am always the dancing queen 👸 🕺👯💃Thanks @somizi and @metrofmsa for the awesome jive!! It was a weekend to remember on Metro FM's #Sounds Good Breakfast Show. Celebrity choreographer and radio host Somizi Mhlongo invited Real Housewives of Johannesburg star Christall Kay into the studio. He brought out her inner dancing queen. ABBA moves In true Somizi style, the moment wasn't just an interview; it became a full-blown performance. The award-winning entertainer, choreographer to the stars, and reality TV icon whipped up a short and sassy routine. The routine was set to 'Dancing Queen' by iconic European group ABBA. The track brought big nostalgic vibes, and the duo delivered with flair. ALSO READ:WATCH: Kenny Kunene shows off his Amapiano DJing skills On-air performance Somizi and Christall performed the routine live on-air. Co-hosts Andile Ncube, Zola Mhlongo, and Keorapetse Hlope joined in, turning the studio into a spontaneous dance floor. Listeners loved every second, and social media lit up with clips of the impromptu performance. Christall, who's made headlines for her bold dance moves and glam fashion on Ultimate Girls Trip, didn't hold back. In Jamaica, they called her Britney Spears while she trended on TikTok. This little jig proved she can still bring it on the dance floor. Dancing with the best But getting to dance with Somizi? That's next level. With a resume that includes choreographing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony, Idols SA, and countless stage productions, Somizi is a master at bringing the heat. 'Yass girl !' he joked as Christall, who later wore a tiara, nailed the routine. The chemistry, the moves, and the music made for a showstopping Metro FM moment. It served as a reminder that live radio is still where the magic happens.
North Wales Live
a day ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Formula shows which karaoke songs are most likely to boost mood
An Oxford University mathematician has explained the best karaoke song of all time, after devising a unique formula. Dr Tom Crawford has explained which songs are best to sing - and why - as new 'Kathartic Karaoke' booths from Three UK and Samaritans launch at festivals this summer. Dr Tom devised a formula which grades each song with a score out of 100 (K). In the equation, which was developed using data from 2,000 karaoke lovers, V refers to the number of verses, C repetition of chorus, BPM to the song's beats per minute and Y to the year the song was released. Dr Tom used his formula to rank the UK's favourite karaoke songs and identify ten guaranteed to boost moods and help find joy. 1. Livin' On a Prayer – Bon Jovi (91%) 2. I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston (90%) 3. Don't Look Back in Anger – Oasis (89%) 4. Man! I Feel Like a Woman – Shania Twain (88%) 5. 500 Miles – The Proclaimers (88%) 6. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA (85%) 7. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield (84%) 8. Someone Like You – Adele (84%) 9. Wannabe – Spice Girls (84%) 10. Let Me Love You – Mario (83%) Dr Tom said: 'People love a fast-paced song with an average 126 BPM and 3 repeated chorus' for every 2 verses, just like most pop songs – hence why common favourites are scoring highly in the research. With ABBA dominating the 70's, through to Adele in the 2010's, the average release year of a karaoke classic is 1995. This captures the boyband craze, as well as Brit pop with Oasis, and girl power like the Spice Girls, showing there's some serious maths behind a karaoke belter.' The 'Kathartic Karaoke' initiative forms part of Three and Samaritans' commitment to mental health support and wellbeing. Launching this week at Klarna presents Latitude Festival in Suffolk (24 to 27 July), the karaoke booth will then move to The Mound at Edinburgh Fringe (15-16 August). The experience has been designed to help festival goers boost their mood with music and singing. And in partnership with Samaritans, singers can head to Samaritans tent at Latitude if they want to talk or scan a QR code to seek additional support. Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer at VodafoneThree, said: 'We are delighted to be partnering with Samaritans for the first time at music festivals, to create joyful spaces for people to connect to one another and experience our 'Kathartic Karaoke' for themselves.' Sonya Trivedy, Executive Director of External Engagement at Samaritans, said: 'Music has a unique power to have a positive impact on our mental health. Singing, in particular, can help people process emotions, ease stress and boost mood. Through this pitch-perfect partnership with Three, we're turning up the volume on wellbeing, using music as a carefree way to connect, express, and take care of your emotional health.' Samaritans volunteers will be at Latitude throughout the festival, ready to listen without judgement, whether it's in the early hours after a long night or while queuing for a morning coffee. Their presence is a powerful reminder that support is available 24/7, every day of the year. The festival also coincides with Samaritans Awareness Day on 24 July, known as 24/7, which shines a light on the charity's round-the-clock service and the life-saving impact of human connection.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Sabrina Carpenter You Don't Know
Sabrina Carpenter is as good as any current pop star at cultivating controversy and attention — the latest evidence was the now-subsided furor over her absurd Man's Best Friend album cover, which seems to take cues from Spinal Tap's Smell the Glove. 'She's leaning into it and laughing about it at the same time,' says Angie Martoccio, who profiled Carpenter for her recent Rolling Stone cover story — which revealed that image aside, the singer's true obsession is music. More from Rolling Stone Sabrina Carpenter Celebrates the 'Special Moments' That Followed 'Emails I Can't Send' Watch Sabrina Carpenter Perform 'Hungry Like the Wolf' With Duran Duran at BST Hyde Park Louis Partridge Celebrates Girlfriend Olivia Rodrigo's Glastonbury Set: 'She Worked Her Ass Off' 'I wasn't aware that she was a full-on music nerd,' Martoccio says in the latest episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, which takes a deep look at Carpenter's career so far and previews her next album, Man's Best Friend, out Aug. 29. (To hear the whole episode, go here for the podcast provider of your choice, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just press play above.) 'She's obsessed with the Seventies and spends her off-time watching Saturday Night Fever and really studying the discographies of her favorite artists,' Martoccio adds. Carpenter's ABBA fandom runs so deep she's named her cats Benny and Björn, attended the ABBA Voyage show multiple times (taking wardrobe inspiration from it), and scored a personal museum tour from Björn Ulvaeus himself. The episode digs into just how far Carpenter has come from the moment when she seemed in danger of being seen as just 'the blonde girl' from Olivia Rodrigo's 'Driver's License.' The publicity around the two artists' teenage love triangle seemed to send Carpenter into artistic overdrive: She wrote great songs inspired by it all — 'Skin' and 'Because I Liked a Boy' — as she began the work of redefining herself on her own terms with 2022's E-Mails I Didn't Send. When Martoccio asked if Carpenter ever thinks about that period now, she got a Don Draper-worthy response: 'I don't think about it at all.' Later, Carpenter was spotted watching Rodrigo's Glastonbury set from the wings. Martoccio's interview also touched on Carpenter's relationship with the world's scrutiny. The artist admits to reading everything written about her online — from body-shaming comments to criticism of her show's sexual content — to the point where she's 'numb' to much of it. Her feelings about being picked apart ended up on the vinyl-only 'Needless to Say,' a song she told Martoccio is close to her heart. Download and subscribe to Rolling Stone's weekly podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts). Check out eight years' worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth interviews with Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, SZA, Questlove, Halsey, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Brandi Carlile, Phoebe Bridgers, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, the National, Ice Cube, Taylor Hawkins, Willow, Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Dua Lipa, Killer Mike, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Kirk Hammett, Coco Jones, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Donald Fagen, Charlie Puth, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies, and Gary Clark Jr. And look for dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with Rolling Stone's critics and reporters. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This '70s pop band has won over Gen Z (again) with 1 billion Spotify streams.
It's not 1979, but ABBA is bewitching a whole new generation with its disco magic. The iconic Swedish pop group, beloved for its infectious blend of Europop and danceable grooves, has made Spotify history with its late-'70s hit "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)." The song, cowritten and coproduced by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, entered Spotify's Billions Club on Sunday, July 20, after surpassing one billion streams on the music platform, Spotify exclusively confirmed to USA TODAY. This isn't the first time ABBA has dominated the streaming universe with its timeless tunes. The band's enduring anthem, "Dancing Queen," entered the Billions Club in July 2023. Released in October 1979 as part of the group's compilation album "Greatest Hits Vol. 2," "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" peaked at No. 1 in several territories, including Europe, Denmark, Japan and Switzerland, and cracked the top 20 in ABBA's native Sweden. The song has received a number of revivals over the years thanks to various covers and samples. '80s diva and "Queen of Pop" Madonna featured the track's opening synth line in her 2005 song "Hung Up," which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. ABBA book revelations: AC/DC connection, the unlikely inspiration for 'Mamma Mia!', more Additionally, the 2008 film "Mamma Mia!" — a musical based on ABBA's hits-heavy catalog — included a version sung by stars Amanda Seyfried, Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall. More recently, "Gimme!" has enjoyed a digital resurgence with Gen Z, as seen on the social media platform TikTok. Several clips show young fans embracing the song's disco sound with lively, choreographed routines. ABBA racks up Gen Z fans by the millions on Spotify ABBA's streaming dominance is in part due to the group's sizable Gen Z audience. Globally, Gen Zers have accounted for 50% of ABBA's total streams on Spotify in 2025, according to the streaming service. Additionally, there have been over 11 million ABBA discoveries by Gen Z listeners on Spotify, which makes up half of the band's discoveries from all users worldwide. See the photos: A 'very emotional' ABBA reunites to receive Swedish royal honors The top 10 most-streamed ABBA tracks among Gen Z listeners in 2025 are as follows: Dancing Queen Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) Lay All Your Love on Me The Winner Takes It All Mamma Mia Slipping Through My Fingers Money, Money, Money Super Trouper Chiquitita Take a Chance on Me This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ABBA reaches 1 billion Spotify streams with 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'
